Archive soccer news from around the world
Lampard hits a treble for Chelsea, Ramos gets winning start (Oct 31, 2007)
Frank Lampard's hat-trick helped League Cup holders Chelsea snatch a dramatic 4-3 win over Leicester on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
AC Milan bounce back in style (Oct 31, 2007)
AC Milan set aside the stories of crises and desperate home form to thrash Sampdoria 5-0 away in the latest round of Serie A matches on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Liverpool see red as Riise's payslip hits Internet (Oct 31, 2007)
Liverpool are investigating how midfielder John Arne Riise's payslip ended up on the Internet, a spokesman for the English Premier League football club said Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Ramos starts with a win but Spurs fail to convince (Oct 31, 2007)
Juande Ramos's reign as Tottenham coach started with a win but he was left under no illusions about the size of his task after his new team struggled to beat Blackpool 2-0 in the League Cup on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Home horror for Valencia against five star Real (Oct 31, 2007)
Real Madrid consolidated their lead of the Spanish first division by thrashing hapless Valencia 5-1 on Wednesday, equalling the the heaviest home defeat in the Mediterranean side's history. . . . more . . .
Gerrard saves Liverpool's blushes (Oct 31, 2007)
Steven Gerrard saved Liverpool's blushes as Rafa Benitez's side booked their place in the League Cup quarter-finals with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Cardiff on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Eduardo's double keeps Arsenal rolling (Oct 31, 2007)
Eduardo's double strike helped Arsenal's fringe stars defeat Sheffield United 3-0 to reach the last eight of the League Cup on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Barcelona keen to keep hold of Ronaldinho (Oct 31, 2007)
Barcelona reiterated on Wednesday that Brazilian star Ronaldinho is not for sale, despite new press rumours announcing his imminent departure. . . . more . . .
Pauleta beats Rocheteau record to give Le Guen a breather (Oct 31, 2007)
The pressure on Paul Le Guen dropped a notch after Portuguese striker Pauleta scored a record-setting brace for Paris St Germain to hand them a 2-0 French League Cup win over Montpellier on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
No surprises as Dunga names Brazil squad (Oct 31, 2007)
Brazil coach Dunga on Wednesday announced a largely his squad for the South American zone World Cup 2010 qualifying matches against Peru in Lima on November 18 and Uruguay at Sao Paolo three days later. . . . more . . .
Pele says World Cup "fantastic" event for Brazil (Oct 31, 2007)
Brazilian football legend Pele described as "fantastic" the selection of his country to host the 2014 World Cup. . . . more . . .
English FA confirms bid for 2018 World Cup (Oct 31, 2007)
England's Football Association confirmed on Wednesday that it will be bidding to host the 2018 World Cup. . . . more . . .
Liverpool see red as Riise's payslip hits Internet (Oct 31, 2007)
Liverpool are investigating how midfielder John Arne Riise's payslip ended up on the Internet, a spokesman for the English Premier League football club said Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Birmingham star facing kidnap despair (Oct 31, 2007)
The 15-year-old brother of Birmingham's Honduran midfielder Wilson Palacios has been kidnapped in the central American country, the English club revealed on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Duisburg coach gives Brazilian striker Ailton an ultimatum (Oct 31, 2007)
Duisburg coach Rudi Bommer issued an ultimatum Wednesday to his Brazilian striker Ailton that his attitude over the following weeks would decide his future at the struggling Bundesliga club. . . . more . . .
PSV confirm Koeman will be leaving for Valencia (Oct 31, 2007)
PSV Eindhoven confirmed that the former Barcelona hero Ronald Koeman will leave to coach Spanish side Valencia, the Dutch club said on Wednesday night. . . . more . . .
Proposal for joint Czech-Slovakian bid for Euro 2020 (Oct 31, 2007)
Czech football federation chief Pavel Mokry proposed Wednesday a possible joint bid with Slovakia for Euro 2020. . . . more . . .
Barcelona's Henry, Abidal to miss Valladolid match (Oct 31, 2007)
French international pair Thierry Henry and Eric Abidal will miss Barcelona's league match against Valladeolid on Thursday, the Catalan club said Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Indonesia defies FIFA over disgraced football chief (Oct 31, 2007)
Indonesia's football association Wednesday dismissed calls by FIFA to replace its disgraced president after he was found guilty of large-scale corruption. . . . more . . .
S Koreans face lengthy suspensions over Asian Cup drinking spree (Oct 31, 2007)
Premiership striker Lee Dong-Gook and goalkeeper Lee Woon-Jae face a six-month suspension from South Korea's national team over a late-night drinking spree during the Asian Cup, officials said Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Bolton striker Anelka to miss League Cup clash against Man City (Oct 31, 2007)
French international forward Nicolas Anelka is out of Bolton's League Cup match against Manchester City on Wednesday, after suffering a reccurence of a thigh injury. . . . more . . .
Football: Barcelona keen to keep hold of Ronaldinho (Oct 31, 2007)
Barcelona reiterated on Wednesday that Brazilian star Ronaldinho is not for sale, despite new press rumours announcing his imminent departure. . . . more . . .
New Valencia coach faces Real test for Spanish league debut (Oct 31, 2007)
Valencia's new coach Oscar Fernandez faces a baptism of fire in his first top flight game as his men entertain league leaders and reigning Spanish champions Real Madrid on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Struggling AC Milan hoping to reverse fortunes away from home (Oct 31, 2007)
European champions AC Milan, currently floundering at the bottom half of the Italian Serie A league, are hoping an away match in Genoa to Sanodoria will herald better things after a series of losses at home. . . . more . . .
Arsenal's lesser-known youngsters hope to shine against Sheffield Utd (Oct 31, 2007)
Arsene Wenger will give another chance to Arsenal's younger stars in Wednesday's League Cup tie at Sheffield United. . . . more . . .
Spurs hope for turnaround at Blackpool with Ramos at the helm (Oct 31, 2007)
Juande Ramos takes charge of his first game as Tottenham manager on Wednesday as the struggling London club try to kickstart their traumatic season against Blackpool in the English League Cup. . . . more . . .
Liverpool's injury crisis overshadows Fowler's return to Anfield (Oct 31, 2007)
Robbie Fowler's emotional return to Liverpool in the League Cup on Wednesday has been overshadowed by the injury crisis that is currently enveloping Rafa Benitez's team. . . . more . . .
Ramos aims to revive the glory football game at Spurs (Oct 31, 2007)
As Juande Ramos walked into White Hart Lane to be officially unveiled as Tottenham manager, he can't have failed to notice vivid reminders of the club's glory days. . . . more . . .
Cisse comes to Marseille's rescue (Oct 30, 2007)
Marseille set aside their woeful French domestic form on Tuesday as they scraped past Metz 5-4 on penalties - after the match finished 2-2 - in their last 16 League Cup clash. . . . more . . .
Hammers saved by Cole-den goal (Oct 30, 2007)
A last gasp goal by Carlton Cole completed a comeback by Premiership side West Ham on Tuesday to give the Hammers a 2-1 victory over Championship outfit Coventry City in their League Cup fourth round clash. . . . more . . .
Knee injury comes back to haunt Frings (Oct 30, 2007)
German international midfielder Torsten Frings faces another spell on the sidelines with a right knee problem it was revealed on Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Klasnic returns after 10-month lay-off (Oct 30, 2007)
Croatian international Ivan Klasnic completed his return to football following two kidney transplants as Werder Bremen's reserve side qualified for the third round of the German Cup on Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Celtic hostility to Great Britain Olympic football plan (Oct 30, 2007)
Hopes of players from the four 'home' nations representing a Great Britain football team at the 2012 Olympic Games in London have been kicked into touch by the Scots, Irish and Welsh. . . . more . . .
Jarni hopes 13 is lucky for him at Hajduk Split (Oct 30, 2007)
Croatian First Division side Hajduk Split on Tuesday named former international Robert Jarni its new coach, becoming their 13th in just seven years. . . . more . . .
Frei's injury woes continue (Oct 30, 2007)
Borussia Dortmund's Swiss international striker Alexander Frei faces more time out of action it was announced by the German side's coach Thomas Doll on Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Ramos aims to rebuild shattered Spurs (Oct 30, 2007)
Juande Ramos admitted on Tuesday that his first task as Tottenham manager would be to rebuild the struggling Premier League team's shattered confidence. . . . more . . .
Brazilians begin to party as World Cup beckons (Oct 30, 2007)
A volley of fireworks lit up numerous cities draped in the green and yellow of Brazil's national flag following the announcement that the former world champions will host the 2014 World Cup. . . . more . . .
Rio ready for Gunners, United insist (Oct 30, 2007)
Manchester United insisted Tuesday that Rio Ferdinand would be fit to face Arsenal in their top-of-the-table clash, dismissing reports that the England defender was set to miss the game. . . . more . . .
Czech striker Baros becomes political football in party cash row (Oct 30, 2007)
Czech football star Milan Baros is at the centre of a goverment row over who promised his football academy a hefty grant in exchange for the striker's help during the 2006 elections, local media reported Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Australian footballer Kewell set for Liverpool return (Oct 30, 2007)
Harry Kewell is set to make his belated seasonal return for Liverpool's first team in Wednesday's League Cup clash with Cardiff. . . . more . . .
Germany to host 2011 women's World Cup (Oct 30, 2007)
Germany has been selected to host the women's 2011 World Cup, FIFA announced Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Albania coach banned for three games (Oct 30, 2007)
Albania coach Otto Baric was suspended Tuesday for three matches by UEFA after insulting a referee during a Euro 2008 qualifying match against Bulgaria on October 17. . . . more . . .
Brazil named as 2014 World Cup hosts (Oct 30, 2007)
Brazil, the only runner in the race, were officially unveiled as the 2014 World Cup hosts by FIFA president Sepp Blatter here Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Former Newcastle manager Roeder back in football as Norwich boss (Oct 30, 2007)
Former West Ham and Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder returned to football on Tuesday as the new manager of struggling Championship club Norwich City. . . . more . . .
Australia's World Cup hopes raised as FIFA bins rotation (Oct 30, 2007)
Australia's chances of hosting the 2018 World Cup have risen after FIFA scrapped its policy of rotating the competition between continents, the country's football chief said Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Man Utd defender Neville sees light at end of injury tunnel (Oct 30, 2007)
Gary Neville has been given the green light to make his long-awaited comeback from injury with an appearance for a second-string Manchester United side on Thursday. . . . more . . .
Slomka gunning for Cup glory (Oct 29, 2007)
Schalke 04 coach Mirko Slomka is up against his former club Hanover, where he spent ten years as a youth team coach, when the Bundesliga sides clash in the German Cup on Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Pele absence bemuses Platini as Brazil seek 2014 World Cup (Oct 29, 2007)
UEFA president Michel Platini expressed surprise Monday at the absence of the legendary striker Pele from Brazil's delegation after they presented their candidacy to host the 2014 World Cup. . . . more . . .
Scholes out for three months (Oct 29, 2007)
Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes will have a knee operation on Thursday that is expected to keep him out of action for three months. . . . more . . .
Bundesliga minnows lose first choice keeper (Oct 29, 2007)
Bundesliga surprise packages Karlsruhe have suffered a blow after their first-choice goalkeeper Markus Miller was ruled out for six months with damaged cruciate knee ligaments. . . . more . . .
Zalayeta pays the penalty for tricking the referee (Oct 29, 2007)
Uruguayan international striker Marcelo Zalayeta was slapped with a two-match suspension on Monday for tricking the referee into awarding his side Napoli a penalty in their 3-1 win over his former club Juventus on Saturday. . . . more . . .
FIFA ends World Cup rotation policy (Oct 29, 2007)
Football's world ruling body FIFA on Monday announced the end of their rotation policy for the hosting of the four-yearly World Cup. . . . more . . .
Baby-break for Brazilian Ailton (Oct 29, 2007)
Bundesliga minnows Duisburg have granted a "baby break" to Brazilian striker Ailton to allow the 34-year-old to fly to Mexico to be with his heavily-pregnant wife. . . . more . . .
Former Man Utd enforcer Stam retires (Oct 29, 2007)
The Dutch international and former Manchester United defender, Jaap Stam, announced his retirement Monday. . . . more . . .
Gallas tells title rivals to be afraid (Oct 29, 2007)
Arsenal captain William Gallas believes his side's Premier League rivals are starting to be afraid of the in-form Gunners. . . . more . . .
Redknapp signs new Portsmouth contract (Oct 29, 2007)
Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp signed a new contract on Monday that will keep him at Fratton Park until 2011. . . . more . . .
Torres out for three weeks (Oct 29, 2007)
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres will be sidelined for three weeks after suffering an adductor injury in his side's draw against Arsenal. . . . more . . .
Poyet named as Ramos' assistant at Spurs (Oct 29, 2007)
Tottenham on Monday confirmed Leeds assistant manager and former Spurs player Gus Poyet will move to White Hart Lane as first team coach. . . . more . . .
Singapore football coach fumes after farcical scenes (Oct 29, 2007)
Fuming Singapore coach Raddy Avramovic has slammed Palestine as unprofessional after his side was forced to kick-off without an opponent in their World Cup qualifying match here. . . . more . . .
Wenger confident Gunners can stay the course (Oct 29, 2007)
Arsene Wenger believes his Arsenal side are showing the mark of champions after returning to the head of the Premier League table following the 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield. . . . more . . .
Ramos tells stuttering Spurs 'hard work starts now' (Oct 29, 2007)
New Tottenham manager Juande Ramos had only a few words to say to his players after he saw Blackburn come from behind to win 2-1 at White Hart Lane. . . . more . . .
Milan's home woes continue in Roma loss (Oct 28, 2007)
AC Milan's desperate home league form continued Sunday as they were beaten 1-0 by title-chasing Roma, losing at the San Siro for the second game in a row. . . . more . . .
10-man Lyon hang on to beat PSG (Oct 28, 2007)
Ten-man six-time reigning champions Lyon hung on to beat Paris Saint Germain 3-2 on Sunday to leave a question mark over the future of PSG coach Paul Le Guen and Marseille also took a knock this weekend. . . . more . . .
10-man Lyon hang on to beat PSG (Oct 28, 2007)
Ten-man six-time reigning champions Lyon hung on to beat Paris Saint Germain 3-2 on Sunday to leave a question mark over the future of PSG coach Paul Le Guen and Marseille also took a knock this weekend. . . . more . . .
Ruud, Raul and Robinho retain Real's lead (Oct 28, 2007)
Real Madrid endured some nervous moments but hung on to their Spanish league lead and retained their 100 per cent home record this season with a 3-1 win over Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday. . . . more . . .
Fabregas ensures Gunners pass Anfield test (Oct 28, 2007)
A late equaliser by Cesc Fabregas cancelled out Steven Gerrard's first-half opening goal to earn a point for Arsenal at Liverpool and move Arsene Wenger's side back to the head of the Premiership table. . . . more . . .
Hamburg in good Kompany to cut Bayern's lead (Oct 28, 2007)
Hamburg have cut Bayern Munich's lead at the top of the Bundesliga back to four points on Sunday after Belgian defender Vincent Kompany struck to give them a 1-0 win over Duisburg. . . . more . . .
Ramos gets glimpse of Spurs frailty (Oct 28, 2007)
New Tottenham manager Juande Ramos saw his side squander a lead to remain in the Premier League relegation zone after Blackburn snatched a 2-1 victory with a last-minute goal at White Hart Lane on Sunday. . . . more . . .
10-man Lyon hang on to beat PSG (Oct 28, 2007)
Ten-man six-time reigning champions Lyon hung on to beat Paris Saint Germain 3-2 on Sunday to leave a question mark over the future of PSG coach Paul Le Guen and Marseille also took a knock this weekend. . . . more . . .
Rangers blow chance to rejoin Celtic at top (Oct 28, 2007)
Champions Celtic were left three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League on Sunday after Glasgow rivals Rangers slumped to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Dundee United. . . . more . . .
Yakubu sends Derby back to bottom (Oct 28, 2007)
Nigerian star Ayegbeni Yakubu sent Derby back to the bottom of the Premier League with a man-of-the-match display in Everton's 2-0 win at Pride Park on Sunday. . . . more . . .
Villa deny Bolton winning start to Megson era (Oct 28, 2007)
A Luke Moore equaliser denied Bolton a winning start to life under new manager Gary Megson and earned Aston Villa a point after a 1-1 draw at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday. . . . more . . .
Sevilla accuse Spurs of 'tapping up' Ramos (Oct 28, 2007)
Spurs were on Sunday accused of making an illegal approach to Juande Ramos in their determination to lure the Sevilla coach to White Hart Lane. . . . more . . .
England's 2018 World Cup bid set for boost (Oct 28, 2007)
A change to the system of rotating World Cup finals between continents due to be announced by FIFA on Monday would open the way for England to launch a bid to host the 2018 tournament. . . . more . . .
Real shelve plans to lure Kaka to the Bernabeu (Oct 28, 2007)
Real Madrid conceded defeat on Sunday in their attempt to lure AC Milan's Brazilian star Kaka to the Bernabeu stadium. . . . more . . .
No magic formula for under-fire Bundesliga coach Veh (Oct 28, 2007)
VfB Stuttgart coach Armin Veh insists there is no magic formula - just hard work - to dig his team out of trouble after his side broke their run of five consecutive defeats. . . . more . . .
Celtic attacking duo hailed by Strachan (Oct 28, 2007)
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has hailed his Antipodean attacking duo after they combined to keep his side top of the Scottish Premier League on Saturday. . . . more . . .
Ferguson revels in Rooney and Tevez show (Oct 28, 2007)
Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed the flourishing strike partnership between Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez as the bedrock of the Premier League champions current rich vein of form. . . . more . . .
Mourinho memories fading as Chelsea turn on the style (Oct 28, 2007)
Avram Grant admitted Chelsea are beginning to inject fun back into their football after crushing Manchester City 6-0 on Saturday. . . . more . . .
Espanyol left to regret lost chance after draw (Oct 27, 2007)
Espanyol squandered the chance to move up to second place in La Liga, at least overnight, when they were held to a 2-2 draw at Real Mallorca on Saturday and the Barcelona-based side remain in fifth. . . . more . . .
Marseille humiliated by own goals and penalty miss (Oct 27, 2007)
Marseille's French league slump continued with a humiliating 2-1 defeat at Sochaux on Saturday night including two headed own goals and a penalty miss leaving them third from bottom. . . . more . . .
Juve humbled by Napoli after dodgy penalties (Oct 27, 2007)
Juventus's flying start to the season came to a shuddering halt Saturday as they were controversially beaten 3-1 at Napoli. . . . more . . .
Green's penalty stop saves the day (Oct 27, 2007)
Robert Green rescued West Ham as his stoppage time penalty save preserved a goalless draw against Portsmouth on Saturday. . . . more . . .
Ahly close on record third consecutive African title (Oct 27, 2007)
Al-Ahly of Egypt closed on a record third consecutive African Champions League title after holding Etoile Sahel of Tunisia 0-0 in the first leg of the final Saturday. . . . more . . .
Supersub Long sinks Newcastle (Oct 27, 2007)
Shane Long made an instant impact as his late strike gave Reading a 2-1 victory over Newcastle on Saturday. . . . more . . .
Tevez and Rooney show puts United back on top (Oct 27, 2007)
Manchester United returned to the top of the Premiership in Saturday's 4-1 humbling of Middlesbrough at Old Trafford, although the victory owed as much to visiting winger Stewart Downing as to the home team's superb attacking talents. . . . more . . .
Bayern's chance to extend lead as Bremen draw (Oct 27, 2007)
Werder Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf was happy with his side's 1-1 draw at Schalke 04 on Saturday despite the result giving Bayern Munich the chance to open an eight-point gap at the top of the table. . . . more . . .
Battling Blues make the case for Bruce (Oct 27, 2007)
Birmingham boosted Steve Bruce's chances of holding on to his job in the event of a Carson Yeung takeover of the club with a battling 3-2 win over fellow strugglers Wigan. . . . more . . .
That's Entertainment as Chelsea hit City for six (Oct 27, 2007)
Chelsea delivered their most emphatic performance of the season to crush Manchester City 6-0 on Saturday. . . . more . . .
Aussie star McDonald hat-trick hero for Celtic (Oct 27, 2007)
Australian striker Scott McDonald bagged a hat-trick to hand Celtic a 3-0 victory at home to Motherwell and take them three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League. . . . more . . .
Long wait over as Ballack returns to training (Oct 27, 2007)
German captain Michael Ballack is back in training with Chelsea, six months after the midfielder first damaged his ankle playing for the English giants. . . . more . . .
Chelsea manager Grant starts to make his mark (Oct 27, 2007)
Chelsea have long revelled in their reputation for substance over style, but Avram Grant's appointment as the club's head coach has ushered in a new era in more ways than one. . . . more . . .
Boro ready for daunting trip to Old Trafford (Oct 27, 2007)
Middlesbrough have moved to diffuse their explosive relationship with Manchester United, and winger Cristiano Ronaldo, ahead of their meeting at Old Trafford on Saturday. . . . more . . .
Ramos - why I quit Sevilla for Spurs (Oct 27, 2007)
Juande Ramos has spoken for the first time to explain why he quit Sevilla to replace Martin Jol as manager of struggling Spurs. . . . more . . .
Defiant Benitez comes on to football pitch fighting (Oct 27, 2007)
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has moved to shrug off mounting concerns over his leadership by insisting his side will reverse the slide which has dented the club's European and domestic ambitions. . . . more . . .
Liverpool shocked by Pennant surgery (Oct 26, 2007)
Jermaine Pennant needs surgery on his right leg, Liverpool football club revealed on Friday, meaning he will be out of action for 10 weeks. . . . more . . .
Totti uncertain for AC Milan clash (Oct 26, 2007)
Injured Roma captain and striker Francesco Totti is in doubt for the Serie A match against AC Milan this weekend, coach Luciano Spalletti said Friday. . . . more . . .
UEFA suspend Addo for four games over spitting incident (Oct 26, 2007)
PSV Eindhoven's Ghanaian defender Eric Addo has been suspended for four games by European football's governing body, UEFA, for spitting at an opponent. . . . more . . .
Shevchenko affected by Chelsea struggles, says Grant (Oct 26, 2007)
Avram Grant admits Andriy Shevchenko is struggling to recover from the shock of being benched by Jose Mourinho. . . . more . . .
Slavia slap surly Tunisian into reserve side (Oct 26, 2007)
Tunisian international Tijani Belaid has been demoted to the reserve team as punishment for his off-pitch behaviour and reaction when substituted, Czech league leaders Slavia Prague said on Friday. . . . more . . .
Former Dinamo Zagreb coach takes charge of Rwanda (Oct 26, 2007)
Former Dinamo Zagreb coach Josip Kuze on Friday officially took charge of the Rwandan national football team, promising to take the "Amavubi" (wasps) to a new international level. . . . more . . .
Cahill ready to make a mark on Europe (Oct 26, 2007)
Australian star Tim Cahill believes his goal-scoring return to action can provide the springboard for an Everton assault on Europe this season. . . . more . . .
Hargreaves back for United (Oct 26, 2007)
Manchester United's drive to retain the Premier League title will be bolstered by Owen Hargreaves returning to action this weekend, manager Sir Alex Ferguson revealed on Friday. . . . more . . .
Loew targets Euro 2008 title with 'beautiful football' (Oct 26, 2007)
Germany coach Joachim Loew, fresh from signing a contract extension until 2010, said he wanted to win Euro 2008 while playing "beautiful football". . . . more . . .
Ramos resigns from Sevilla to ease Tottenham move (Oct 26, 2007)
Juande Ramos has moved closer to succeeding Martin Jol as Tottenham manager after resigning from his post at Sevilla, it was revealed on Friday. . . . more . . .
Etoile football coach confident of dethroning 'lucky' Ahly (Oct 26, 2007)
Tunisian team Etoile Sahel coach Bertrand Marchand has labelled African Champions League final rivals Al-Ahly of Egypt a lucky team ahead of the first leg on Saturday. . . . more . . .
Nothing Jol-ly as Dutchman Jol sacked by Spurs (Oct 25, 2007)
A potentially low key start to Thursday's UEFA Cup group stage was enlivened in no uncertain fashion with the reports that Spurs manager Martin Jol had been removed from his post. . . . more . . .
Jol sacked by Spurs: report (Oct 25, 2007)
Crisis-hit English Premiership club Spurs sacked manager Martin Jol on Thursday according to media reports. . . . more . . .
Liverpool's Carragher well aware of huge Euro task (Oct 25, 2007)
Liverpool's Jamie Carragher believes last year's Champions League finalists can return from the brink after losing to Besiktas midweek, the defender said Thursday. . . . more . . .
FIFA supports Brazil as sole candidate for world cup 2014 (Oct 25, 2007)
International football's governing body, FIFA, has supported Brazil as the sole candidate for the 2014 World Cup after an inspection of potential sites, in a report released on Thursday. . . . more . . .
Vieira facing two months out (Oct 25, 2007)
Patrick Vieira is set to be out of action for the rest of this year after suffering a right calf injury in Inter Milan's Champions League win over CSKA Moscow on Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Lampard tells Drogba - you're the best, please stay (Oct 25, 2007)
Frank Lampard described Didier Drogba as the best striker in the world on Wednesday and urged the Ivory Coast international to remain at Chelsea. . . . more . . .
Chelsea fined, and given warning for players' conduct (Oct 25, 2007)
Chelsea have been fined 30,000 pounds (60,000 dollars) and warned over their future conduct for failing to control their players during a Premier league match against Manchester United. . . . more . . .
Real's Robinho comes clean about parties and planes (Oct 25, 2007)
After scoring two goals which helped Real Madrid defeat Olympiakos 4-2 in the Champions League, Robinho took his chance on Thursday to explain the other episode which has kept him in the spotlight. . . . more . . .
I'm not Thierry Henry, says Arsenal's Walcott (Oct 25, 2007)
Arsenal's 18-year-old forward Theo Walcott wants to be known as his own man and not compared to former team-mate and France striker Thierry Henry, he said Thursday. . . . more . . .
Arsenal's American shareholder content with 'partnership' (Oct 25, 2007)
Arsenal's American shareholder Stan Kroenke said he is content with the current "partnership" he enjoys with the English Premiership club's board but has not ruled out one day owning the Gunners outright. . . . more . . .
Barcelona's Toure hopes to reappear this weekend (Oct 25, 2007)
Barcelona's midfielder Yaya Toure could be back in action against Almeria on Sunday, the Ivory Coast international told Barca TV here on Thursday. . . . more . . .
Bolton name Megson as new manager (Oct 25, 2007)
Struggling English Premiership club Bolton on Thursday named Gary Megson as their new manager. . . . more . . .
UEFA charge Addo over spitting incident (Oct 25, 2007)
PSV Eindhoven's Ghanaian defender Eric Addo has been charged by European football's governing body, UEFA, with spitting at an opponent. . . . more . . .
Crisis looms for Liverpool's Benitez after Istanbul setback (Oct 25, 2007)
Rafael Benitez could be heading towards the first real crisis of his three-year reign at Liverpool after a 2-1 defeat by Besiktas left the Reds facing an early exit from the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Tale of woe for former British European football champions (Oct 25, 2007)
Two former British European Cup winners Liverpool and Celtic suffered another blow to staying in the competition after both lost in the latest round of Champions League matches on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Liverpool hit bottom with 2-1 defeat at Besiktas (Oct 24, 2007)
Liverpool failed to revive their flagging Champions League season, remaining winless after three games and bottom of their group Wednesday with a 2-1 loss to Besiktas. . . . more . . .
Ballack insists he will play again this year (Oct 24, 2007)
German captain Michael Ballack insisted he will play again this year, despite reports in the press here the Chelsea midfielder will not make his comeback until 2008. . . . more . . .
Four star display eases Milan's nerves (Oct 24, 2007)
Doubles from Alberto Gilardino and Clarence Seedorf helped ease the sense of crisis enveloping AC Milan as the European titleholders beat Shakhtar Donetsk 4-1 in the Champions League here on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Benfica break Celtic with late winner (Oct 24, 2007)
Benfica ensured Celtic's miserable away record in the Champions League continued after Oscar Cardozo's late goal handed them a 1-0 victory here on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Marseille stay top after grappling point from Porto (Oct 24, 2007)
Struggling French giants Marseille held on to steal a point after being dominated throughout their 1-1 draw against Champions League group A rivals FC Porto on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Double-trouble Robinho repays Real Madrid faith (Oct 24, 2007)
Robinho repaid the faith shown in him by Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster by scoring two crucial second half goals as the Spanish giants edged past 10-man Olympiakos 4-2 in the Champions League here on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Bremen beat Lazio to claim Euro lifeline (Oct 24, 2007)
Werder Bremen gave themselves a faint Champions League lifeline as they sealed an impressive 2-1 win at home to injury-hit Lazio on Tuesday night. . . . more . . .
Chelsea's revival gathers pace as Schalke are brushed aside (Oct 24, 2007)
Chelsea's resurgence under Avram Grant gathered pace as they cruised to a 2-0 win over Schalke 04 in the Champions League on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Urawa face Sepahan in AFC final (Oct 24, 2007)
Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds triumphed 5-3 in a penalty shootout to beat South Korean counterparts Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma on Wednesday to reach the AFC Champions League final. . . . more . . .
Zaragoza's D'Alessandro given cold shoulder (Oct 24, 2007)
Real Zaragoza confirmed on Wednesday that their Argentine international midfielder Andres D'Alessandro will train apart from the first team squad after falling out with coach Victor Fernandez. . . . more . . .
Blatter encourages English 2018 bid (Oct 24, 2007)
FIFA president Sepp Blatter seemingly encouraged England to bid for the World Cup in 2018 following a meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Bolton get permission to speak to Megson (Oct 24, 2007)
Bolton were granted permission to speak to Leicester's Gary Megson about their vacant manager's position on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Almunia won't let Lehmann jibes bother him (Oct 24, 2007)
Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia insists he won't let Jens Lehmann's jibes ruin the best season of his life. . . . more . . .
Giggs - Injuries won't get us down (Oct 24, 2007)
Ryan Giggs believes Manchester United's Champions League victory against Dynamo Kiev proves they can cope with the injury problems that threaten to derail their season. . . . more . . .
Drogba reveals bond with Mourinho (Oct 24, 2007)
Didier Drogba admits he has kept in touch with Jose Mourinho since the former Chelsea manager's emotional departure from Stamford Bridge. . . . more . . .
Staunton steps down as Ireland manager (Oct 24, 2007)
Steve Staunton has stepped down as Republic of Ireland manager on the back of a string of poor performances that culminated in his team's elimination from the race to qualify for Euro 2008. . . . more . . .
Bayern without Ribery, Toni for Belgrade test (Oct 24, 2007)
Bayern Munich will be without France midfielder Franck Ribery and Italian striker Luca Toni for Thursday's UEFA Cup trip to Red Star Belgrade. . . . more . . .
Gers nearly there but job not finished says Smith (Oct 24, 2007)
Rangers may sit joint top of their Champions League section after their draw with Barcelona on Tuesday but manager Walter Smith says there is still a lot of work to do. . . . more . . .
Ferguson happy as United's soccer stars shine (Oct 24, 2007)
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was a happy man on Tuesday night after his side's big stars shone brightly to extinguish Dynamo Kiev's Champion's League aspirations with a 4-2 away victory. . . . more . . .
Sevilla keep up march for Champions League progress (Oct 23, 2007)
Sevilla kept up their momentum for progression into the Champions League knock-out stages with a 2-1 win over Steaua Bucharest. . . . more . . .
Dynamic Ronaldo fires United to win over battling Dynamo (Oct 23, 2007)
Midfield maestro Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice to put Manchester United within touching distance of the Champions League's first knock-out round with a 4-2 win over spirited Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday night. . . . more . . .
Roma toil to Sporting success (Oct 23, 2007)
AS Roma battled to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Sporting Lisbon here on Tuesday to put themselves in pole position to snatch the second knock-out phase qualification place behind group leaders Manchester United. . . . more . . .
Lyon put two past sorry Stuttgart for season's first win (Oct 23, 2007)
Lyon spurned a handful of clear-cut chances on goal but eventually had a deflected Fabio Dos Santos strike and a Karim Benzema goal to thank for a morale-boosting 2-0 win over Stuttgart in the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Gers and Barca share spoils to stay on track (Oct 23, 2007)
A resolute Rangers performance earned them a goalless draw at home to Barcelona on Tuesday - in a result which keeps both sides in the driving seat for qualification from their Champions League section. . . . more . . .
Dynamic Ronaldo fires United to win over battling Dynamo (Oct 23, 2007)
Midfield maestro Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice to put Manchester United within touching distance of the Champions League's first knock-out round with a 4-2 win over spirited Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday night. . . . more . . .
Arsenal's magnificent seven destroys Slavia (Oct 23, 2007)
Arsenal gave Arsene Wenger the perfect birthday present as they produced a sensational display to thrash Slavia Prague 7-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Marseille's Ziani to miss Porto match (Oct 23, 2007)
Marseille's attacking midfielder Karim Ziani will miss Wednesday's Champions League match against Porto, coach Eric Gerets said. . . . more . . .
World Cup organisers to learn from rugby success (Oct 23, 2007)
The Springboks victory in the rugby union World Cup in France at the weekend should work as motivation for the organisers of the football World Cup due to be held in South Africa in 2010, Danny Jordaan, a member of the organising committee said on Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Inter beat CSKA to jump top of group G (Oct 23, 2007)
Italian giants Inter Milan battled back from a goal down to beat Russian champions CSKA Moscow 2-1 in a Champions League Group G clash here on Tuesday to jump to the top of the table. . . . more . . .
Nike scores with Umbro takeover (Oct 23, 2007)
US sportswear giant Nike ventured further into the British football market on Tuesday after agreeing to buy rival Umbro, maker of the England soccer strip, for 582 million dollars (408 million euros). . . . more . . .
Bayern to make Ribery decision on Wednesday (Oct 23, 2007)
Bayern Munich are to decide on Wednesday on the fitness of France midfielder Franck Ribery for Thursday's UEFA Cup trip to Red Star Belgrade. . . . more . . .
Robinho needs to be happy, says Schuster (Oct 23, 2007)
Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster on Tuesday jumped to the defence of under-fire Brazilian playmaker Robinho. . . . more . . .
Humiliated Lehmann blasts Wenger and Arsenal goalies (Oct 23, 2007)
Veteran German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has launched a scathing attack against his club manager Arsene Wenger and the two goalies keeping him on the sidelines at Arsenal. . . . more . . .
Grant wants Chelsea to be the great entertainers (Oct 23, 2007)
Avram Grant admits he must turn Chelsea into a team with style as well as substance if he is to be a success at Stamford Bridge. . . . more . . .
AC Milan's Kaka uncertain for Shakhtar match (Oct 23, 2007)
AC Milan's Brazilian midfielder Kaka is in doubt for the Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk at the San Siro on Wednesday, coach Carlo Ancelotti said. . . . more . . .
Ipswich deny Beckham to train with club after early Galaxy exit (Oct 23, 2007)
Ipswich have not been approached to allow ex-England captain David Beckham to train with them after the failure of his Los Angeles Galaxy team to make the US major league playoffs, the club said Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Manchester's Scholes out of Dynamo Kiev clash (Oct 23, 2007)
Manchester United's midfielder Paul Scholes will miss Tuesday's Champions league clash here against Dynamo Kiev after suffering a knee injury at training, coach Alex Ferguson said. . . . more . . .
